Metered valve construction



Feb. 6, 1962 w. G. GORMAN METERED VALVE CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 5, 1959 INVENTOR WILLIAMGGORMAN Mf/ ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofifice .ifilhfl i? Patented Feb. 6, 1962 3,019,947 METERED VALVE CQNSTRUCTION William G. German, Albany, N.Y., assignor to Sterling rug Inn, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Dela- Fiied Nov. 5, 1959, Ser. No. 851,167 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-394) This invention relates to a new and improved valve construction particularly of the type presenting metered amounts of material to be expressed from a container adapted for aerosols, and particularly relating but not limited to the pharmaceutical field, the new construction obviating in general problems involved in such devices in the prior art. These problems involve in part frequent non-functioning of the valve stem due to corrosion, stickiness, etc.; leaking of the contents of the container around the stem; failure of the prior art valves to properly operate due to tilting of the valve stem; and general fragility of the parts particularly with respect to thin metal parts in use, etc.

One of the principal objects of the present invention resides in the provision of a new and improved valve for aerosols including a rigid stem construction which has three bearing surfaces at spaced points, eliminating wabble or canting of the stern construction in the operation thereof; and the provision of a new and improved plastic tank construction which can be easily varied as to capacity by removal and replacement of a novel part; and having a construction avoiding the usual deformation and leakage of some of the elastic seals currently in use.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of a new and improved rubber or similar elastomer plug as a metering chamber; a novel combination of such plug and tank gaskets and stem gaskets, providing for simpler assembly and control of quality of the device; and the provision of a new and improved stem construction which obviates bulges or expanded portions thereof which tend in the prior art to deform or press into the gasket components, thus providing a simple and effective metering system with positive open and close positioning of the stem and valve parts being constructed in such a way as to avoid sticking.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a transverse section through the new valve illustrating the same in open position thereof;

FIG. 2 illustrates the same in closed position;

FIG. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section through a modification;

and

FIG. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

In illustrating the present invention, reference is made to FIG. 1 wherein there is shown a container generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. This container may be provided with a reduced neck portion at 12 if desired and as is usual, the container may be coated as is sometimes provided for in the art.

At the reduced portion of the neck in the present illustration, the container is provided with a metering valve and therefore the user is enabled to provide metered charges of the contents of the container, the contents being placed under pressure suitable for providing the expression of the contents in metered form as long as the pressure lasts. I

In the present case, the mouth of the container is indicated at 14 and may be provided with an annular head 16. Positioned on the mouth and conforming to the bead 16, there is an annular body gasket generally indicated at 18 and this may have annular recesses at its top surfaces as indicated at 20 for the reception of similar beaded conformations in the flange 22 of a plastic tank which is generally indicated at 24;

The gasket 18 extends inwardly as at 26 and is adapted to contact and hold the tank 24 at the outer periphery thereof below the tank flange 22. The tank itself is preferably molded of thermoplastic or similar suitable material and in addition to the flange 22, which of course is integral with the tank, it comprises a generally cylindrical member as clearly shown in FIG. 1, the outer wall of which contacts the inner edge of the gasket at 18 as described and extends upwardly beyond flange 22 in an annular portion 28. The tank terminates at its lower end in an inwardly-directed flange 30 which is centrally apertured to receive the valve stem 32.

This assembly is permanently held in position by means of a ferrule 34 which may extend down as at 56 into the reduced portion of the neck of container 10 and thence up and around closely in contact with the container at the mouth, the exterior edge of gasket 18, the exterior edge of flange 22 and the tank 24, and the top and outer edge surfaces of the upstanding portion 28 of the tank, all as clearly shown in FIG. 1. This provides a very strong and rigid construction for closing the container.

The stem 32 is provided with an upper reduced portion at 38 for the application thereto of an actuator such as well known to those skilled in the art. The stem is hollow from its outer end 4G to a point 4-2 therein, extending to or just below a discharge port 44. Below the termination of the hollow portion at 42, the stem is solid as at 46, and then again is hollow at 48. The hollow 48 at its upper end is provided with a filling port 50, and in the position of FIG. 1 it will be seen that the contents of the container communicate with the interior of the tank.

The stem is provided with an annular flange 52 which acts as a limiting means when the stem is in the uppermost position and this flange is engaged by means ofv a spring 54 having its other end engaged with a washer 56, the washer being held in position in part by means of a rubber gasket 57 on a ledge or annular shoulder 58 formed in the interior surface of the tank 24.

It will be observed that the stem 32 at all times extends to some degree out through the center of the ferrule and also down through the aperture defined by the inner edge of flange 30 of the tank 24. The washer 56 is always held in the position shown and therefore it will be seen that the stem has three bearing supports in its longitudinal action comprising the ferrule, the washer, and the tank flange 30, so that all tendency to wobble of the stem is completely eliminated. V

The metering chamber is preferably formed by means of a-plastic plug or the like generally indicated by the reference numeral 60. This plug is cylindrical and is positioned in the tank upon gasket 66 at one end thereof, receiving gasket 57 at. the top portion thereof, the gasket being held thereto by the spring 54. The plug 60 has-an internal diameter greater than thatof the external diameter of the valve stem so that a chamber 62 is formed in the tank, and this chamber of course determines the amount of the metered charge which is to be discharged through the valve stem. By changing the plug 60 with other plugs of diflerent interior diameters, it will be seen that this charge is easily changed to suit conditions. Of course the volume of the metering chamber could also be changed by using a plug on of the same internal and external diameters but by shortening it and using extra washers, but it is simpler to merely provide plugs 66' of different internal diameters.

By using a plastic for the stem 32, a metered valve having no'metalcontact with the solution in the container may be obtained, and thus there is no corrosion of any f the valve parts and hence failure is obviated when such failure may be due to corrosion or sticking of the prior art metal parts of the valve. The stem is quite rigid and is held in its longitudinal position as above described by the three point bearing contact. The plastic tank construction does not require an elastic seal about the tank and uses only the body gasket 18 which of course can be of plastic or rubber. In the prior art, metering values usually require an elastic seal about the tank and this is subject to deformation and leakage and does not permit the use of plastic materials as in the present case.

The stem construction provided will not bulge or have any expanded portions in it to deform or press into gasket components and this also avoids a former objection to prior art metering valves. The construction provided herein is a simple and effective metering system and provides positive open and closed positioningof the stem. The discharge port in the closed position is sealed by the rubber gaskets at 57 and 66 which close off the plug 60 at the top and bottom respectively and form the upper and lower limits of the chamber 62.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the device which is the same as above described except for the construction of the chamber itself, and in this case it is provided by a molded rubber or plastic metering chamber gasket 78 which has an internal annular recess '72 molded therein and thus provides its own sealing means '74 and 76 which engage the stern as clearly shown. In this case there is of course no need for the gaskets 64 and 66 which are here provided by the plug 70* itself, and in order to change the charge, it is necessary in this case to provide plugs having annular recesses '72 of different sizes as far as volume is concerned.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, 1 do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

l. A metering valve construction for controlling the discharge of fluid material under pressure from a container, said valve construction comprising a one-piece molded plastic tank of generally tubular shape, an exterior annular flange thereon integral therewith, said flange having a periphery substantially co-extensive with the mouth of the container, means securing the flange of the mouth of the container with a portion of the tank depending at least in part into the container, a body gasket interposed between the mouth of the container and the flange, said means including a ferrule which secures the tank to the container at the mouth thereof by being crimped to the flange, said ferrule having a generally central aperture therein, the bottom member of the tank having an aperture therein, said apertures being aligned and axially spaced, a valve stem in the tank extending therefrom at both ends thereof through said apertures, a stop on the valve stem limiting the outward extent thereof, a spring engaged with said stop and normally urging said valve stern outwardly, a washer surrounding said valve stem, said spring being engaged with said washer, means forming a metering chamber in said tank surrounding said valve stem at least in part, said chamber forming means comprising a sparate plug in the tank, said plug surrounding the valve stem and having at least a central portion thereof radially spaced from the valve stem and forming said metering chamber of predetermined capacity, said valve stem finding bearing engagement with the ferrule at the central aperture thereof, washer, and the tank bottom member, said valve stem being provided with an inlet port to form communication between the interior of the container and the metering chamber when the valve stem is in its outwardmost position as occasioned by the spring, and an outlet port in communication with the atmosphere and normally sealed off from the metering chamber except when said valve is moved against the action of the spring to provide for communication between the metering chamber and the discharge port, the

filling port then being sealed off from the metering chamher.

2. The metering valve construction as recited in claim 1 wherein said plug is generally cylindrical in shape, having an outside diameter conforming in general to the inside diameter of the tank and an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the valve stem.

3. The metering valve construction as recited in claim 1 wherein said plug is generally cylindrical in shape, having an outside diameter conforming in general to the inside diameter of the tank and an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the valve stem, and a sealing gasket at each end of said plug, said sealing gaskets being in close association with the end portions ofsaid plug and closely engaging the valve stem.

4. The metering valve construction as recited in claim 1 wherein said plug is generally cylindrical in shape, having an outside diameter conforming in general to the inside diameter of the tank and an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the valve stem, said plug being removable and replaceable by a plug having a different interior diameter to vary the volume of the metering chamber in the tank.

5. The valve construction as recited in claim 1 wherein said plug is generally cylindrical in its outside surface and is provided with an interior annular recess adapted to surround said valve stem and form the metering chamher, the plug itself forming a seal adjacent the lower end of the tank and in spaced relation thereto adjacent the spring.

6. The valve construction as recited in claim 1 wherein the valve stem, tank, and the plug forming the metering chamber are all made of molded plastic, said washer sealing off the spring from the metering chamber.

7. A metering valve construction for controlling the discharge of fluid material under pressure from a mouth container, said valve construction comprising in general a one-piece valve tank of generally hollow tubular shape, an annular flange rim on said tank exteriorly thereof, a fer rule having a central aperture coaxial with the tank and clamping the flange and thereby the tank to the mouth of the container, an in-turned flange at the bottom of the tank, said in-turned flange defining an aperture in spaced relation to the aperture in the ferrule, a slidable valve stem arranged in said apertures and being guided by the edge of the ferrule and the edge of the in-turned flange, a projection on the stern and a spring engaging said projection to normally urge said valve stem outwardly, a washer, means in the tank holding said washer, said spring engaging the washer and being held thereby, and separate and removable means located in said tank and forming a metering chamber therein, said means comprising a plastic plug or the like in general fitting the interior wall of the tank at the exterior thereof and providing a cavity, the walls of which are spaced at least in part from the surface of the valve stem to form said metering chamber, and a discharge port and filling port in said stem, said filling port being in communication with the chamber when the valve stem is extended under influence of the spring and the discharge port being in communication with said metering chamber, the filling port being sealed off from said metering chamber when the stem is pressed relatively inwardly with respect to said tank.

8. A metering valve construction as recited in claim 7 wherein said plug comprises in general a hollow cylindrical member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,019,947 February 6 1962 William G. Gorman It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 22, for "and", first occurrence, read of column 3, line 44, for "of", second occurrence read to line 61, for "sparate" read separate Signed and sealed this 31st day of July 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

